Plan Apple Wallet employee badges around Express Mode, paired watches and lost-device steps

Apple’s support article on employee badges in Apple Wallet says a badge added to iPhone is also added to the paired Apple Watch, Express Mode turns on automatically, and marking a device as lost temporarily removes the badge. Access teams should plan enrollment, door behavior and lost-device handling around those defaults.

Source facts

Apple’s support article on employee badges in Apple Wallet, published December 16, 2025, says an added badge lets an iPhone or Apple Watch access the locations in an office building where the physical badge is accepted. It lists an iPhone 6s or later or an Apple Watch Series 3 or later on the latest iOS or watchOS, an Apple Account signed in on the device, a participating employer, and an app provided by the employer plus the employee’s credentials.

Adding the badge to an iPhone automatically adds it to the paired Apple Watch. Express Mode is turned on automatically, so the badge works by holding the device against the reader; with Express Mode turned off, the employee opens the badge in Apple Wallet before presenting the device, which on iPhone includes authenticating.

If a device is lost or stolen, Apple says to mark it as lost, which turns off access to Apple Wallet and temporarily removes cards and passes, including the employee badge. When Lost Mode is later turned off for the device, it must also be turned off for the employee badge, and the page also points to erasing the device at iCloud.com.

Applicability

Use this for any site issuing employee badges to Apple Wallet. Apple lists a participating employer and an employer-provided app as requirements, so confirm with the access control provider which readers, doors and software versions support Wallet badges before rollout.

DSE recommendation

DSE recommends writing Apple Wallet badge enrollment, Express Mode and lost-device steps into the access control procedure before issuing the first mobile badge. Record the iPhone and any paired Apple Watch as credential holders, decide whether doors to sensitive areas need a second factor such as a reader PIN, and make the help desk’s lost-device script suspend the badge in the access control system as well as using Lost Mode.

Verification

During the pilot, confirm the badge works at each reader type, stops working when the device is marked as lost, and can be revoked from the access control system on its own. Repeat the checks after major iOS, watchOS or reader firmware updates.

Official reference

Apple Support — Add an employee badge to Apple Wallet (published December 16, 2025). Reviewed October 18, 2026.